


Sea Manners

by IllyasJames



Series: For you my Sea [6]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Dinner, Etiquette, Fairy Tale Retellings, Little Mermaid Elements, M/M, Seahorse elements, Standings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-06
Updated: 2017-10-06
Packaged: 2019-01-09 15:20:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12279186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IllyasJames/pseuds/IllyasJames
Summary: Yuuri's been having dinner with Victor and Mila for three weeks now, he thought he had the land dweller dinner thing under wraps. So pray tell, why is there so much cutlery around his plate?Victor realizes too late that he had once again assumed something about Yuuri that he should have addressed before putting the man on the spot.Oh, and he should have told about Mila too.





	Sea Manners

**Author's Note:**

> Day 245 of my 365FF Challenge
> 
> Between me wanting to tell way more than initially thought and my wrist still needing days off this series is going to take a lot longer than I originally planned. But I want it to be perfect so i can only hope you'll be here for the ride. :}  
> Oh and just for those that want some inside knowledge; http://www.delish.com/food/news/a38562/dining-etiquette-for-the-royal-dinner-guest/
> 
> As always I sent you off to enjoy the work by reminding that [ my tumblr ](http://the-world-of-illyas-james.tumblr.com/) is always available if you feel the need to sent me an ask or start a conversation over messages.  
> Seriously. I love receiving them. And I do my best to always answer. :}
> 
> Small service announcement;  
> A more pressing issue, however, is Update Demands. I've gotten a couple of comments about this and, please, I am begging you, don't do the thing. I know you're excited; hell, I'm excited about seeing the next chapter/sequel too, I love the enthusiasm you guys have! However, I am also a person who suffers from anxiety and that makes it hard to write, especially when I feel like I'm being pressured. I will get blocked and there will be no updates if this happens. Not because I'm being mean, but I genuinely just don't handle it well.  
> So please respect me, and try your best to not come of as rude in your enthusiasm.  
> Thank you. :}

Mila woke him well before he was expected down for dinner. And Yuuri was not pleased to find out exactly which clothes she had laid out before him. The young lady started to giggle at first when he scrunched up his nose, but she full out laughed when he gave her a glare for that. 

"Oh Yuuri. You are too precious. But seriously. You can not go to this dinner in your regular clothes. It's almost as if you've never wore formal attire before." 

Mila for a second looked worried. Yuuri just sighed, he knew it was too hard to explain so he simply signed that their opinion of formal attire and what he was used to were just so very different. He then smiles remembering some of the ceremonial garbs his people have. 

"I'm certain that if our roles were reversed my people's traditions would also be looked upon as different" 

Mila looks at Yuuri's hands for a moment. She has to agree. The little things Yuuri had let out about his people and the few things he had shown were proof enough that Yuuri had the ability to adapt real well. He had done everything to fit in with them so well, he deserved the right to be disliking some things. 

She does get him to put on the formal attire Victor had commissioned for Yuuri. He had made certain the pants weren't as stiff as it would normally been, and the jacket dipped in the young man's sides giving him a distinct waist. With his hair pulled in a side braid Mila can't help but feel that he looks like he will fit right in with the other people at the table. She smiles at the thought. This evening is going to be great. 

Yuuri offers Mila his arm when she inform him that as his attendee it is her job to assist him during dinner. She accepts it with a giggle. When Victor had originally asked her assistance she had wanted to deny, but she had seen his face and after meeting Yuuri she agreed, now she is certain it is one of the better decisions she's made in her whole life. They meet Victor and Georgi just outside the doors into the dinner hall. 

"Yuuri, you look magnificent. That said though, now that you are a bit better a foot I am going to take you out on a shopping trip tomorrow. I have already cleared it with both your doctor and Lilia." After that Victor smiles at Yuuri and offers him his arm. Without even thinking about it Yuuri lets go of Mila's and slips his in place with Victor. A warm bubbling feeling setting in his stomach. The look exchanged between Mila and Georgi is a quick one. 

The doors open to a sight Yuuri had not completely expected. Sure they had said the prospects would be here for a dinner, but to see a large table set in the center of the room leaving no real room to move around he wondered how the ones coming here to become Victor's mate were planning to captivate his senses. His second shock was the actual table. He stills for only a moment but it is long enough to be noticed by Victor. 

"Do not worry. I should have given you a lesson in our dinner etiquette but for tonight just follow my example and you should be okay. Plus you will always have Mila to assist if I am busy entertaining the guests." 

Yuuri sighs and smiles at Victor. After that he turns his attention to the people at the table, the girls are all dressed in what he can only assume are their finest, although not a single of those attires look even the least bit comfortable, they on their turn are looking back at him and not with much fondness. Yuuri gives them a soft smile. It does not seem he has much to fear of these girls becoming the one Victor chooses as his mate. They are clearly not what he is looking for. 

All the ladies give Victor a small curtsy when he arrives at the table and he gives a quick nod in return. Then to the shock of his guests he pulls Yuuri's chair back to let him sit down properly before sitting down himself. It isn't till everyone else sits down after that that Yuuri wonders if Victor did something odd. He forgets to think about it when the staff comes and offers Victor some wine. After tasting it Victor permits them to fill one of his glasses.

When they try to fill Yuuri's glass he quickly puts his hand over it, using his other to sign that he is not certain if he is permitted to have it. Mila quickly tells him that the potion for his throat will have no bad reaction with alcohol. But he still shakes his head, telling her that they do not have wine in his country, he simply is not certain he should drink it. 

"Ah Yuuri. Do you know what. Take a sip from my glass if you like it we can fill yours and if not we will get you water." At that a smile forms on Yuuri's lips and he nods. 

Victor offers him his glass and he takes a small sip. He pushes the glass away, scrunching up his nose, making clicking sounds with his tongue. No he definitely is not a wine drinker. And if it is one of those acquired tastes he feels quite confident he is not going to try and acquire it. After his glass is filled there seems to be some issues with some of the prospects preferring water over wine as well. When Victor seems to ignore the issue he gets nudged by Yuuri. In the end he states they are free to choose water over wine. Which settles the matter. 

Dinner moves on well after that. Even if Victor spends more time explaining Yuuri what every dish is than that he really even attempts to speak with the prospects. Yuuri is certain that if not for Georgi and Yakov keeping the conversations going and making Victor respond he would simply have ignored them completely. 

That is when one of the girls becomes bold. She understands that her even having a shimmer of hope is wasted so she decides that if she can't get Victor to show some manner to his guests she is going to speak to the one Guest he is talking too. 

"Uhm. Yuuri. May I ask what your opinion of our country is. There are some stories about you and how you came our beloved prince's guest. But to see you for real makes me wonder of your impressions." She smiles when the table goes silent. 

Her aunt wants to scold her for interrupting the prince in his conversation but is halted when Yuuri starts answering. He has to lay down his cutlery for it but he seems more than eager to answer her.

"Oh. I am loving it. Although I have not seen more than the seaside and the inside of the palace. But if the beauty and diversity of your countries coastline tells me anything I am looking forward to the rest." he bites his lip for a moment. "About the people I can't really say much as I have mostly been in the presence of the prince and his attendees plus Mila, my dance instructor and her protege, plus of course the staff. But what I have seen so far the people here are hardworking people that love the country and wish to do what needs to be done to maintain it's well being. I can only applaud such a character display."

Yuuri smiles. "I can only say that I hope to see and learn more of this country during my stay. And perhaps when I'm better I can teach the Prince some things about my country and people in return." 

He turns to look at Victor, catching the wonderful blush on his cheeks, missing the taken aback looks at the faces of the prospects and their chaperones. Or the pure shock when Victor takes Yuuri's hand in his own, places a kiss on his knuckles and says it would be his honor to learn everything Yuuri was willing to teach him. Yakov has to scrape his throat three times before Victor remembers exactly where he is. He calmly puts Yuuri's hand down before turning at his guests. There is still one course and dessert. He could indeed be more polite.

Poorly it is quickly obvious that his prospects are more interested in Yuuri than they are in him. Seems they gave up on him. It takes him aback for a moment. Then he just leans back and enjoys the events. 

"So Yuuri just how different is a dinner like this from any formal events you have in your country?" The young red head asking looks barely old enough to even be permitted at this table but Victor knows Yakov would never allow anyone under twenty one attending. 

"Well the last dinner I attended was a few days before I left and mostly we have food served and eat it while enjoying entertainment like dancers and such." He looks at the utensils around his plate. "Then again we don't have any utensils like you use. Any food we do not eat with our fingers is picked up with ..." Yuuri's hand still for a moment. "I have no word to explain it properly. So pardon my crude explanation. We use sticks made from certain rocks that are about twice the length of your hand to pick up the food by pinching it between them." At that Yuuri makes a movement with his hand like holding a pen at a bit of an odd angle. 

Victor is mesmerized, sure he had noticed that Yuuri had been hesitant to use the utensils that first time but he had never thought he came from a place that didn't even use them to begin with. And it is clear that the prospects are all just as amazed at him as he had used them perfectly all through dinner. 

"If you use such odd tools for eating, or even your fingers than I can only assume dinner is a messy affair where you are from." Victor gives a scruff look at the older woman saying that. Yuuri on the other hand simply shakes his head. 

"Our dishes are completely different from yours. You would looks silly trying to eat our meals with your utensils just as it would look silly for me to eat yours with ours." He gives the woman a courteous smile Victor has bore on his face many times himself. The young man seems to be handling things quite well. 

And the blush he gets when one of the other girls start talking about his clear uncomfortability in his clothes is just too adorable for Victor not to smile about.

"Yes. Your choice in clothing is also completely different than what I am accustomed to. Then again, I can assume that as your culture is so different from mine it is only logical that your people's choice in coverage has developed differently." Yuuri looks down on his hands with a wishful sigh. "I wish I had at least one of my more formal garbs here, I have always been told I look stunning in them." 

"Even by your King?" The hone in the older woman's tone is hardly missed. The insinuation so clear even Victor did not miss it. 

Yuuri looks up with a very cool glint in his eyes making the lady swallow sharply. "The King has always admired my skill and has always been proud of the person I become. I will not permit you to speak badly about my King or any other member of the royal family. Do you understand." The woman nods quickly. 

Yuuri sighs and looks at Victor. "I'm sorry to cut dinner short. I will not be in your way to talk to any of these prospects during dessert but if I have your permission I would like to retire to my room." 

Victor nods. "Of course. Lady Babicheva will take you there at once." Yuuri blinks at Victor at that statement and finally the prince remembers that he never told Yuuri that there Mila is his cousin and sixth in line of the throne she is technically royalty. Mila laughs at Victor's face when he stands.

Mila takes Yuuri's arm and guides him out of the door. "You should have asked my cousin to assist you to the room, as I can only imagine how much he not wants to talk to those girls any longer." Yuuri pinches her arm softly.

After he gets her attention he simply signs. "I think it is time you tell me what a harlot is. For I think it is time I learn what I need to defend myself against if I come in contact with more people." He then smiles. "And I forgive you for not telling me you are royalty. I after all have not told you either." 

"Silly Yuuri how could you tell me something you did not know." He puts a hand over her arm and simply shakes his head. Then he points to himself. 

When understanding forms on Mila's face she bursts in a fit of giggles that do not subside till they are well into Yuuri's rooms. 

Over an hour later a clearly disheveled Victor enters the room to wish Yuuri good night, closely followed by Georgi and Yakov who wish to discuss the events that took place over dinner. Instead the three of them get informed by a still giggling Mila just exactly what tittle the sleeping man in the bed holds. 

Before that information can actually sink in they are interrupted by a knock on the door. Seems a messenger had arrived to inform Victor that his father The King had decided to return to the Palace a bit earlier and was to be expected to arrive in a fortnight. The message also stated that Victor must be ready to be willing to make an announcement within one week of the King's return. This information turns all in the room aware of the daunting task they have to complete. 

Victor sighs and turns to Yakov. "It seems I'll be having a lot of dinners the next two weeks, aren't I?" At this his adviser gives a solemn nod.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this
> 
> All comments are greatly appreciated, even one as little as a smiley. :}


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